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V. 
PAPERS 

KBLATIIVTO 

H, b^ la 3Snm'0 (BnieMtion 



HUNGRY BAY, JEFFERSON CO. 



lesa. 



Bl^l 



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iOi' 



EXTRACT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE KING 
TO M. DE LA BAME. 

[Pans Doc. Vol. 11.] 

Versailles, 10th May, ICS2. 

He is equally informed that the Savages nearest adjoining to 
the French Settlements are the Algonquins and the Iroquois, that 
the latter had repeatedly troubled the peace and tranquillity of 
the Colonies of New France until His Majesty having waged a 
severe war against them, they were finally constrained to submit 
and to live in peace and quietness without making any incursions 
on the lands inhabited by the French. But as these restless and 
warlike tribes cannot be kept down except by terror, and as His 
Majesty has even been informed by the last despatches, that the 
Onnontagues and Senecas — Iroquois tribes — have killed a Recollet 
and committed many other violences and that it is lo be feared 
that they will push their audacity even further ; It is very im- 
portant that the said Sieur de la Barre put himself in a condition 
to proceed as early as possible, with 5 or 600 of the militia most 
favorably situated for this expedition along the shores of Lake 
Frontenac al the mouth of Lake Conty, to exhibit himself to 
these Iroquois Settlements in a condition to restrain them within 
their duty and even to attack them should they do any thing 
against the French, wherein he must observe that he is not to break 
with them without a very pressing necessity and an entire certi- 
tude to promptly and advantageously finish a war that he will 
have undertaken against them. 

He must not only apply himself to prevent the violences of the 
[roquois against the French. He must also endeavour to keep 
the Savages at peace among themselves, and prevent the Iroquois 



96 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 



by all means making war on the Illinois and other tribes, neigh- 
l)ours to them, being very certain that if these Nations whose 
furs, the principal trade of Canada, are destroyed, should see 
themselves secure against the violence of the Iroquois by the 
protection they would receive from the French, they might be so 
much the more excited to wear their merchandizes and will there- 
by increase trade. 



At the meeting held the tenth October 1682, com- 
posed of M. the Governor, M. the Intendant, M. 
the Bishop of Quebec, M. Dollier Superior of the 
Seminary of vSt. Sulpice at Montreal, the Rev. 
Fathers Beschefer Superior, D'Ablon and Fremin, 
Jesuits, M. the Major of the City, Messrs. de Va- 
renne Governor of Three Rivers, de Brussy, Dali- 
bout, Duguet, Lemoine, Ladurantais, Bizard, Chail- 
ly, Vieuxpont, Duluth, de Sorcl, Derepentigny, 
Berthier and Boucher. 

It is proposed by M. the Governor, that from the records 
which M. the Count de Fiontenac was pleased to deposit in his 
hands of what had passed at Montreal on the 12 Sept. last, be- 
tween him and the Deputy of the Onontaguc Iroquois, it is easy 
to infer that these people are inclined to follow the object of their 
enterprize, which is to destroy all the Nations in alliance with 
us, the one after the other, whilst they keep us in uncertainty and 
with folded arms; so that, after having deprived us of the entire 
fur trade which they wish alone to carry on with the English and 
Dutch (stablished at Manatc and Orange, they may attack us 
isolated, and ruin the Colony in obliging it to contract itself and 
abandon all the separate settlements, and thus arrest tl* cultiva- 
tion of the soil which cannot bear grain nor be cultivated as 
meadow except in quarters where it is of good quality. 

As lie is not informed in the short time since his arrival from 
France, of the state of these tribes and of the Colony, he requests 
tlum to acquaint him with all tliey know of these things in order 



TO HUNGRY BAY 97 

that he may inform his Majesty thereof, and represent to him the 
necessities of this Colony, for the purpose as well of averting this 
war as for terminating and finishing it advantageously should it 
be necessary to wage it ; Whereupon the Meeting after being in- 
formed by the ReV' Jesuit fathers of what had passed during five 
years among the Iroquois Nations, whence they had recently ar- 
rived, and by M. Dollier of what occurred for some years at 
Montreal, remained unanimously and all of one accord, that the 
English have omitted nothing for four years to induce the Iro- 
quois, either by the great number of presents which they made 
them or by the cheapness with which they gave them provisions 
and especially guns, powder and lead, to declare war against us, 
and which the Iroquois have been two or three times ready to 
undertake ; But having reflected that, should they attack us be- 
fore they had ruined in fact the allied nations, their neighbours, 
these would rally and, uniting together, would fall on them and 
destroy their villages w^hilst occupied against us, they judged it 
wiser to defer and amuse us whilst they were attacking those 
Nations, and having commenced, with that view, to attack the 
Illinois last year, they had so great an advantage over them that 
besides three or four hundred killed, they took nine hundred of 
them prisoners, so that marching this year with a corps of twelve 
hundred men, well armed and good warriors, there was no doubt 
but they W'Ould exterminate them altogether and attack, on their 
return, the Miamis and the Klskakous and by their defeat render 
themselves masters of Missllimackina and the lakes Herle and 
Huron, the Bay des Puans and thereby deprive us of all the traile 
drawn from that country by destroying, at the same time, all the 
Christian Missions established among those nations ; and there- 
fore it became necessary to make a last effort to prevent them 
ruining, those Nations as they had formerly the Algonquins, the 
Andastez, the Loups (Mohegans), the Abenaquis and others, the 
remains of whom w^e have at the settlements of Sillery, Laurette, 
Lake Champlain and others scattered among us. That to accom- 
plish that object, the state of the Colony was to be considered, 
and the means to be most usefully adopted against the enemy ; 
that as to the Colony we could bring together a thousand good 
7 



98 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

men, bearing arms and accustomed to manage canoes like the 
Iroquois, but when drawn from their settlements, it must be con- 
sidered that the cultivation of the soil vvouUl be arresteil during 
the whole period of their absence, and that it is necessary, be- 
fore making them march, to have supplies of provisions necessary 
in places distant from the settlements, so as to suppoit them in 
tlie enemy's country a time sufficiently long to effectually destroy 
that Nation, and to act no more by them as had been done seven- 
teen years ago, making them partially afraid without weakening 
them. That we have advantages now"which we had not then j 
the French accustomed to the Woods, acquainted wuth all the 
roads through them, and the road to Fort Frontenac open to fall 
in forty hours on the Senecas, the strongest of the five Iroquois 
Nations, since they alone can furnish fifteen hundred warriors, 
well armed ; that there must be provisions at Fort Frontenac, 
three or four vessels to load them and embark five hundred men on 
Lake Ontario, whilst five hundred others would go in Canoes and 
post themselves on the Seneca shore ; but this expedition cannot 
succeed unless by His Majesty's aid with a small body of two or 
three hundred soldiers to serve as a garrison for Foits Frontenac 
and La Galette, to escort provisions and keep the head of the 
country guarded and furnished whilst the interior would be 
deprived of its good soldiers ; a hundred or a hundred and 
fifty hired men, to be distributed among the settlements to 
help those who will remain at home to cultivate the ground, 
in order that famine may not get into the land ; and funds neces- 
sary to collect supplies and build two or three barks, without 
which and that of Sieur de Lasalle, it is impossible to undeitake 
any thing of utility : That it is a war which is not to be com- 
menced to be left imperfect, because knowing each other better 
than seventeen years ago, if it were to be undertaken without 
finishing it the conservation of the Colony is not be expected, 
the Iroquois not being apt to return. That the failure of all aid 
from France had begun to create contempt for us among the said 
Iroquois, who believed that we were abandoned by the great 
Onontio, our Master, and if they saw us assisted by him, they 
would, probably, change their minds and let our allies be in 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 99 

peace and consent not to hunt on their grounds, or bring all 
their peltries to the French, which they trade at present wilh the 
English at Orange ; and thus by a small aid from his Majesty we 
could prevent war and subject these fierce and hot spirits, which 
would be the greatest advantage that could be procured for the 
Country. That notwithstanding, it w^as important to arm the 
militia and in this year of abundant harvest to oblige them to 
furnish guns which they could all advantageously use when occa- 
sion required. 

Done in the house of the Rev*^ Jesuit Fathers at Quebec, the 
day and year above stated. 

Compared with the original remaining in my hands. 

Le Fe Bure de Labarre. 



FATHER LAMBERVILLE TO M. DE LA BARRE. 

[Paris Doe. II.] 

February 10, 1684. 
* * * * The Governor of New York is to come, they 
say, next summer to the Mohawk and speak there to the Iroquois. 
We'll see what he'll say. He has sent a shabby ship's flag to 
the Mohawk to be planted there. This is the coat of arms of 
England. This flag is still in the public chest of the Mohawks. 
I know not when it will see day. 



M. DE LA BARRE TO GOV. DONGAN. 

Montreal 15th June 1684. 
Sir — The unexpected attack which the Iroquois, Senecas and 
Cayugas have made on one of my forts whither I had sent a gen- 
tleman of my household to withdraw Sieur de la Salle therefrom, 
whom I sent at their request to France, and the wholesale plunder 
of seven French canoes laden with merchandize for the Trade, 
and the detention during ten days of 14 Frenchmen who were 
conducting them up, and that in a time when I was in a quiet 



100 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

and peaceable negotiation with them, oblige me to attack them 
as people from whose promises we have nothing to expect but 
murder and treason ; but I did not wish to do so without ad- 
vising you of it, and telling you at the same time, that the Mo- 
hawks and Oneidas, neighbours of Albany, having done me no 
wrong, I intend to remain at peace with them and not attack 
them. 

The letters which I have reC^ from France inform me as does 
that which you were pleased to honour me with, that our two 
Kings desire that we should live in Union and Fraternity toge- 
ther. I shall contribute with the greatest joy, and with a punc- 
tuality with which you will be satisfied. I think that on the pre- 
sent occasion you can well grant me the request I make to forbid 
those at Albany selling any Arms, Powder or Lead to the Iro- 
quois who attacked us and to the other tribes who may trade 
with them. 

This proceeding alone may intimidate them, and when they 
see the Christians united on this subject they will shew them 
more respect than they have done hitherto. 

If you have any cause of complaint against their conduct, you 
can advance it now, & I shall consider your interests as those of 
my master, as soon as I shall hear from you 1 ivill answer regard- 
ing what you may require from my ministry in a manner entirely 
satisfactory to you, esteeming nothing in the world more highly 
than the opportunity to testify to you how truly I am 

Sir 

Your very humble Serv* 

(Signed) Le Febure de la Barre. 



GOV. DONGAN TO M. DE LA BARllE. 

[N.Y. Council Min.V.] 

New York June y 24"" 1684. 
Sr—Yrs dated the 15"' I received the 23^ of S. V. of this In- 
stant ; & am very sorry that I did not know sooner of the mis- 
understanding between you and the Indians that so I might (as 
really I would) haue vsed all iust measures to prevent it 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 101 

those Indians are under this Governm* as doth appeare by 
his Ri' High^s his patent from his Ma^y the King of England and 
their submitting themselves to this Goverm' as is manifest by o'' 
Records, his R'^ Highnesses territories reaching as far as the Ri- 
ver of Canada and yet notwithstanding the people of y Goverm* 
Come upon the great lake as allso on this side of both lakes, a 
thing which will scarcely be beleeved in England 

I desire you to hinder them from so doing ; & I will strictly 
forbidde the people of this Province to go on your side of the 
lakes this I haue hinted that there may be no occasion, as there 
shall not undoubtedly of mine, to break that desirable and faire 
Correspondence between the two Kings our Masters I am so 
heartily bent to promote the Quiet & tranquillity of this Country 
& yours that I intend forthwith to go myselfe to Albany on 
purpose ; and there send for the Indians, & require of them to do 
what is iust in order to a satisfaction to y"" pretences ; if they will 
not I shall not uniustly protect them, but do for y Governm* all 
that can be reasonably expected from me; & in the mean time to 
continue & preserue a good Amity between us I think it conve- 
nient & desire that no Acts of hostility be comitted, such differ- 
ences are of so weighty a concerne that they are most proper 
to be decided at home and not by us. 

I do assure you S"" that no body liuelng hath a greater desire 
that there should be a strict friendshipp betwixt the subjects of 
this Goverm* & yours then I haue and no body more willing 
upon all Occasions ivstly to approue my selffe S"" 

¥■■ humble Serv* 

Tho. Dong an. 



THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

[Lond. Doc. V.] 



Fort Albany, July 1684. 

Sir — I came to this town with an intention to sent for the Sene- 
quaes but was prevented by some of their Sachims being come 
hither expressly to meet me. 



102 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

They tell rae that your Intentions are to make warr against 
them and they believe that you have already entered their coun- 
trey which rcpport 1 can scarcely give creditt to, after my last 
letter written to you. 

You cannot be ignorant that those Indians are under this Go- 
verm' and I do assure you they have againe voluntarily given up 
both themselves and their lands to it, and in their application 
which they make to me, do offer, that if they have done anything 
amisse they will readily give all reasonable satisfation. 

S"" I should be very sorry to hear that you invade the Duke's 
Territories, after so just and honest an offer, and my promisse, 
that the Indians shall punctually perform whatever can be in 
justice required for all these injuries which you complaine they 
have committed. 

I do not doubt but that if you please, this affair may be quietly 
reconciled between you and the Indians, if not, as I wrote in my 
former, wee have Masters in Europe to whom we should properly 
referr. 

To prevent as much as I can all the inconveniencyes that may 
happen. I have sent the bearer with this letter and have ordered 
the Coates of Armes of His i\Oj ^ Hi^hnesse the Duke of YorL 
to be put up in the Indyan Castles which may diswade you from 
acting anything that may create a misunderstanding between us 
Sir 

I am with all respect 

Most humble & affectionate 
Servant 
■ ■I,' (Signed) Tho Dongan 



M. DE LA BAllllE TO GOV. DONGAN. 

[Paris Doc. II.; Lond. Doc. V.] 

Camp at Lachine, 21 .July 1&S4. 

Sir — I was much astonislied by the receipt of your two letters ot 
the fifth of July, New Stile, seeing one in French written by 
you, which I knew came from you as from friend to friend, ami 



TO HI'NGRY BAY. 103 

that written in English which I knew came from your Council 
and not from people disposed to maintain the union of our two 
Kings. 

I sent Sieur Bourbon to you to advise you of the vengeance 
which I was about to wreak for the insult inflicted on the Chris- 
tian name by the Senecas and Cayugas, and you answer me about 
pretensions to the possessions of lands of which neither you nor I 
are judges, but our two Kings who have sent us, and of which 
there is no question at present, having no thought of conquering 
countries but of making the Christian name and the French peo- 
ple to be respected, in which I will spill the last drop of my 
blood. 

'I have great esteem for your person, and considerable desire to 
preserve the honour of his Britannick Majesty's good graces as 
well as those of my Lord the Duke of York, and I even believe 
tha;t they will greatly appreciate my chastisement of those who 
insult you and capture you every day, as they have done this 
winter in Merilande. But if I was so unfortunate as that you de- 
sired to protect robbers, assassins and traitors, I could not distin- 
guish their protector from themselves. I pray you, then, to at- 
tach faith to the credit which T give Sieur de Salvaye to explain 
every thing to you ; and, if the Senecas and Cayugas wish your 
services as their intercessor to take security from them, not in 
the Indian but in the European fashion, without which and the 
honor of hearing from you, I shall attack them towards the 20*'' 
of the month of August, New »Stile. 

Sir 

Your very humble Servant 

Le Febure de la Barre. 



104 DE LA BARRE's EXPEDITION 



[Par. Doc. II.; Lontl. Doc. V.] 

INSTRUCTIONS which Sieur ile la Barre King's Councillor in his Councils, 
Governor & his Lieutenant General in all the Countries of New France and 
Acadie, Gives to Sieur de Salvaye his Ambassador to Colonel Dongan, 
Governor of New York, to explain to him the unfaithfulness and violences 
committed by the Senecas and Cayugas against the French. 

He is, in the first place, to meike known to him the quarter where 
the pillage of the seven canoes was perpetrated, and that it is more 
than 400 leagues distant from here and an equal distance, at least, 
Southwest from Albany, in the 39"' or 40"' degree. 

Tliat that place has been occupied over 25 years by the French 
who there established Catholic Missions of the Jesuit Fathers, 
and traded there {ont fait la traitte) since that time, without the 
English having ever known, or spoken of, that country. 

That the question is not about the country of the Iroquois, nor 
the Eastern shores of Lake Erie. 

That the Iroquois having lived, previous to the arrival of M. 
de la Barre, with little consideration for the French, he was desi- 
rous to speak with them, to see if they were friends or foes, and 
for that purpose they were all assembled at Montreal last August 
where every thing w^as arranged on a friendly basis; even the 
Senecas and Cayugas had demanded the said Sieur de la Barre to 
withdraw Sieur de la Salle from the government of Fort St. Louis, 
in Illinois ; which he caused to be done and had the said Sieur de 
la Salle sent to France in the month of last November. 

That notwithstanding this, and all the protestations they had 
made, a band of 200 warriors, Senecas and Cayugas having met 
in the month of March of this year, seven canoes manned by 14 
Frenchmen, with fifteen or sixteen thousand pounds of Merchan- 
dize, who were going to trade with the Scions, towards the South- 
west, pillaged them and took them prisoners, without any resist- 
ance from the said Frenchmen, who considered them as friends, 
and after having detained them nine days, with thousands of taunts 
and insults, released them without having given them either arms 
or canoes for provisions and to cross the rivers. After which the 
said Iroquois went and attacked Fort St. Louis, where Sieur Che- 
valier de Blangy was in the place of said Sieur de la Salle who 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 105 

had been withdrawn at their request. Having made three assaults 
and been vigorously repulsed, they withdrew from before the said 
Fort the 29"' of said month of March, 

That Sieur de la Barre having seen these acts of hostility com- 
mitted in time of established peace and which Teganeout their 
Ambassador was coming to him to confirm, he might have adopted 
two courses, one to detain the said ambassador, and the olhcr to 
wage war against them, not being able to endure a treachery of 
that description against the Christian name and French Nation. 

That, things being in this condition, he could not believe that 
Colonel Dongan would interfere therein in any way, if it were not 
to unite wdth him in destroying these traitors and Infidels. 

That the Mohawks and Oneidas, neighbours of Albany, have 
no part in all this war, and that he has envoys at Onontagu6 to 
see if they will take a part. 

That his troops being assembled and on the march, he cannot 
postpone attacking the Senecas unless by losing the campaign. 

That in despatches dated the 5"' of August last, the King his 
master was pleased to communicate to him the information w^hich 
he had received from the King of England, of the appointment 
of Colonel Dongan as Governor of New York, with express or- 
ders to maintain good understanding and correspondence with said 
Sieur de la Barre, who, on that account, could have no idea that 
he had any intention to protect a treachery and injustice similar 
to that committed by villains on Frenchmen. 

Done at the Camp of Lachine the 24th July 1684. 

Signed, Le febure de la Barre. 

And lower down by M. Regnaut. 



GOV. DONGAN TO M. DE LA BARRE. 

[Lond. Doc. V.] 

1. It is not intended that I will justify the wrong the Indians 
have done to the French so farr to the southwest as 400 leagues 
from Mont Royall or in any other place whatsoever, though in all 



106 DE LA BARRIc's EXPEDITION 

probability if we were to dispute these countreys so farr to the 
south west are more likely to be ours then the French haveing 
English ('olonies much nearer them. 

2. The pretences you make to that countrey by your 25 years 
possession, and sending Jesuits amongst them are very slender, 
and it may bee, you may have the same to other countries as for 
Jesuites living amongst them, how charitable soever it may bee it 
gives no right or title, and it is a great wonder that the English 
who so wtdl know America should neither hear nor see in a long 
time the treaty you speak of 

3. But if the matter in debate bee not concerning the land on 
the side of the lake of Canida, it is desired to know what it is 
concernino; since the Indians oifer to give satisfaction for what 
injuries can be prooved to bee comitted by them as they say they 
have formerly done in such cases, and if they do not I never pro- 
mised them any countenance from this government. 

I wonder that Mons"" de la Barr should send for any Indians 
who ouned themselves under this Government to know whether 
they were friends or ennemies, since this Government at that time 
and at this present hath enjoyed for aught I know a full and per- 
fect peace with the Government of Canida ; as for the case of 
La Salle I am not concerned in it but wonder you should send 
him to France upon the bare complaint of the Indians 

As for the injuries, affronts, insolenc yes and robberyes comit- 
ted by the Indians upon the French, I have earnestly pressed 
them to make a submission and satisfaction, and that out of a true 
consideration of the misseryes that may happen by having a warr 
with such Savages. 

I could heartily wish that the Sieur de la Barre had sooner 
given me notice of the act of hostility before he had detained 
Taganeout there Ambassadour, or made warr against them, that I 
might have used all just methods to prevent a warr that may be 
destructive to either party — 

That the Governor of Canida docs very well in believing what 
truly he ought that I will not interest myselfe in any manner to 
countenance such villanyes and if I did not think there was a 
middle way to compose that difference myselfe, I would be wil- 
ling to joync against them 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 107 

I am glad you asured me that the neighbourghing Indians to Al- 
bany have no share in that warr, but I am sorry the troops are in 
soe great forwardness, that if my former advice had bin taken, 
there had been no absolute necessity to attaque the Indians or 
loose the campaigne. 

That it is very true, I ought to have a good correspondence 
with the Sieur de la Barr, and it is not nor ever shall bo my fauU 
if I have not, and I againe must tell you that I have no thought 
or inclination to protect any villany whatsoever. 



EXTRACT OF A LETTER ADDRESSED BY LOUIS XIY. TO 
MONSIEUR DE LA BARRE, THE 21st JULY, 1684. 

[Paris Doc. II.] 
Monsieur De la barre 

I have seen by your letters of the 5''' June last, the resolution 
you have taken to attack the Iroquois, and the reasons which 
moved you to it, and though it is a grave misfortune for the Co- 
lony of New France which will interrupt the trade of my sub- 
jects and divert thtm from the cultivation of the land and expose 
them to frequent insults on tde part of the Iroquois Savages, who 
can frequently surpiize them in distant settlements, without your 
being even in a state to succor them ; I do not hesitate to ap- 
prove your adoption of that resolution since, by the insult they 
offered the fifteen Frenchmen whom they pillaged, and the attack 
on Fort St. Louis, you have had reason to believe that they se- 
riously intended declaring war, and as I wish to place you in a 
position to sustain it, and bring it to a speedy termination, I liave 
given orders for equipping the Ship L'Enierillon, on board which 
I have caused to be embarked three hundred soldiers quartered in 
the ports of Brest and Rochefort with the number of Officers and 
Marines contained in the lists which you will find annexed, and 
this reinforcement with that sent to you by the last vessels from 
Rochelle, and which you have learned from my preceding letters, 
will furnish you means to fight advantageously, and to destroy 
utterly those people, or at least to place them in a state, at^ter 



108 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

having punished Iheni for their insolence, to receive peace on the 
conditions which you will impose on them. 

You must observe as reganls this w^ar that even though you 
prosecute it with advantage, if you do not find means to wage it 
promptly, it will not the less cause the ruin of the colony, the 
people of which cannot subsist in the continual disquietude of 
being attacked by the Savages, and in the impossibility in which 
they find themselves of applying themselves to trade and the 
cultivation of their farms. Therefore whatever advantage you 
may derive for the glory of my arms and the entire destruction 
of the Savages by the continuation of this war, you ought to pre- 
fer peace which restoring quietness to my subjects will place you 
in a condition to increase the Colony by the means pointed out to 
you in my preceding letters. 

I write to my ambassador in England to procure orders from 
the Duke of York to prevent him who commands at Baston as- 
sisting the Savages with troops, arms or ammunition, and I have 
reason to believe that orders will be despatched as soon as repre- 
sentations on my part will have been made. 

I am very glad to tell you that from every thing I learn of what 
has occurred in Canada, the fault which you committed in not 
punctually executing my orders relative to the number of twenty- 
five licenses to be granted to my subjects, and the great number 
you have sent on all sides, in order to favor persons belonging 
to yourself, appears to me to have been the principal cause of what 
has happened on the part of the Iroquois. I hope you will re- 
pair this fault by giving a prompt and glorious termination to 
this war. 

It appears to me also that one of the principal causes of the 
war arises from one Du Lhut having caused two Iroquois to be 
killed who had assassinated two Frenchmen in Lake Superior, and 
you sufficiently see how much this man's voyage, which cannot 
produce any advantage to the Colony, and which was permitted 
only in the interest of some private persons, has contributed to 
disturb the repose of the Colony. 

As it concerns the good of my service to diminish as much is 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 109 

possible the number of the Iroquois, and as these Savages who are 
stout and robust, will, moreover, serve with advantage in my 
galleys, I wish you to do every thing in your power to make a great 
number of them prisoners of war, and that you have them sliipped 

by every opportunity which will offer for their removal to France 

******* 

I desire likewise that you leave Fort Frontenac in the posses- 
sion of Sieur de la Salle or those who are there for him, and thai 
you do nothing in opposition to the interest of that man whom 1 
take under my special protection. 



MEMOIR OF M. DE LA BAREE 

AS TO WHAT HAD OCCURRED AND HAD BEEN DONE REGARDING THE WAR 
AGAINST THE SENEGAS. 

[Paris Doc. II.] 

Having been obliged to leave early in June, in conformity to 
the resolution adopted by the Intendant, the Bishop, the heads 
of the country and myself, to wage war against the Senecas for 
having, in cold blood, pillaged seven hundred canoes belonging 
to Frenchmen ; arrested and detained the latter to the number of 
fourteen, as prisoners for nine days, and finally attacked Fort St. 
Louis of the Illinois, where the Chevalier de Bangy gallantly 
defended himself, and having resolved, at the same time, to seize 
Teganeout, one of their chiefs and his twelve companions who 
had come to ratify the peace made last year, who left their coun- 
try before they heard of this attack, which circumstance would 
oblige me not to treat them ill, but merely to secure their per- 
sons, we considered three things necessary: First, to endeavour 
to divide the Iroquois among themselves, and for this purpose, to 
send persons expressly to communicate my sentiments to the Rev<^ 
Jesuit Fathers who are Missionaries there and to request them to 
act ; the second, to send to the Outaouacs to engage our French 
to come to my assistance by the South, by Lake Erie and to bring 
as many as they could of the Savages, our allies ; and thirdly, to 
advise Colonel Dongan, Governor of New York of what we 



no DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

were obliged to do, whilst at the same time I would throw a 
considerable reinforcement of men into Fort Frontenac to secure 
it. Being arrived at Montreal the tenth of the said month, wc 
sent for Mr. Dollicr, Superior of tlie Seminary of said town and 
of the Mission to the Indians of the Mountain, and the Reverend 
Pare Briare, Superior of the Mission of the Sault Saint Louis, 
who having concurred with us, furnished seven Christian Iroquois, 
friendly to the French and pretty shrewd, two of whom we sent 
with some Belts of Wampum to the Mohawks, and two to the 
Oneidas, to say to them that we were resolved to observe the 
peace made wilh them — that we were very willing to live there 
as with friends, and that we requested them not to interfere in 
the war which we were about to wage against the Senecas, who 
had cruelty insulted us in the person of the frenchmen wdiom 
they had plundered and seized, and fort St. Louis which they had 
attacked, since, and in violation of the peace made last year at 
Montreal ; we sent the three others to Ononlague to explain the 
same tilings, and finally I despatched Sieurs Guillet and Hebert 
to the Outaouacs to advise Sieurs Ladurantaye and Dulhut of 
my design and of the need I had of their assistance, and sent my 
orders to the Rev. Father Enjalran, Superior of said Missions, to 
operate there and send orders to dilTerent quarters according to 
his usual zeal and capacity, whilst I despatched Sieur Bourbon to 
Orange or Manatle to noiify Colonel Dongar) of the insult the 
French had received from the Senecas, which obliged me to 
marcii against them, of which I gave him notice, assuring him 
that if he wished to revenge ihe twenty-six Englishmen of Meri- 
lande, whom they had killed last winter, I would promise him 
that I would unite my forces to his, that he may obtain satisfac- 
tion for it, or avenge them. 

I next despatched Sieur Dutast, first captain of the King's 
troops, on the twentieth of the same month with five or six 
picked soldiers and six mechanics, carpenters and masons, with 
provisions and ammunition of war to throw themselves into Fort 
Frontenac and put it, in all haste, beyond insult ; after wiiich, 
having caused all to embark at la Chine, I proceeded from Mont- 
real, on St. John's day, to return to Quebec where I had requested 



TO HUNGRY BAY. . HI 

the Intendant to make out the dttachments of Militia uhieh 
shouki follow .me to the war, without inconvenience to the Coun- 
try ; I arrived there on the twenty-sixth, having used great dili- 
gence on the route, and found the people ordered and some canoes 
purchased ; but as they were not sufficient for the embarcation 
of all, we caused fifteen flat (bottomed) pine batteaux, suitable 
for the conveyance, each, of fourteen or fifteen men, to be con- 
structed in a hurry. 

I divided all my small force into three divisions, I placed my- 
self at the head of the first which I commanded to lead the van. 
I left the management of the second to Mr. D'Orvilliers, antient 
Captain of Infantry ; the third being composed of troops from 
the Island of Montreal and the environs, was commanded by 
Sieur Dugue, antient Captain of Carignan. Sieur D'Orvilliers 
had been, since the fore part of spring, reconnoitering Lake On- 
tario and the Seneca Country, to see where the descent should be 
made, and in what direction we should march to their two prin- 
cipal villages, of which he had made a faithful and exact plan, 
I selected, as Major of the Brigade which I commanded, Sieur 
de Villebon-Beccancour, formerly Captain of the King's Di agoons, 
so that acting in my place, as I was obliged to have an eye to all, 
I could confide in him j he succeeded with all possible diligence 
and experience. 

I left Quebec the ninth of July, at the head of Three hundred 
militiamen, accompanied by the said Sieur de Villebon, and ar- 
rived at Montreal the sixteenth, where I was joined by Sieur D' 
Orvilliers on the twenty-first, who brought me, in addition to two 
hundred and fitly militia, batteaux to embark the King's troops. 
Thus after having issued every possible order for the conveyance 
of provisions, in which I had much difficulty in consequence of 
the scarcity of canoes and of experienced persons to conduct 
them in the portages of the Rapids, I detached Sieur de Villebon 
to take the lead with my brigade, and the two companies of King's 
troops, and ordered them to pass the first and second portages, 
where I should join them, so that on the thirtieth I passed their 
encampment beyond the said second portage, and we marched next 
day, both brigades together, Sieur D'Orvilliers bringing up the 



112 DE LA BARRE's EXPEDITION 

rear with the third one day behind us, so that being, on the l^t 
of August in Lake St. Francis with about two hundred canoes 
and our fifteen batteaux, I was joined there by the Rev. Father 
Lamberville, Junior, coming on behalf of his Brother from On- 
ontagu^, and by the Rev. Father Millet, from the Oneidas. 

By the annexed letters from Onontague, you wall learn that 
these people having been joined by the Oneidas and Cayugas, had 
obliged the Senecas to make them Mediators as to the reparation 
suitable to be made to me for the insult which had unfortunately 
been committed against the French in the month of March; and 
prayed me to send Mr. le Moine to them, with whom they could 
terminate this affair. This obliged me immediately to despatch 
a canoe to Fort Frontenac in all haste, to send me from there the 
new bark w^iich I had built in the winter, in. order to freight her 
with the provisions I brought, and to send the canoes in which 
they were loaded to fetch others from la Chine. 

We arrived, on the second, at the Portage of the Long Sault, 
which I found very difficult, notwithstanding the care T taken 
to send fifty men ahead thither, to cut the trees on the bank 
of the river and prevented those passing who were to drag the 
canoes and batteaux; because the stream being voluminous and 
the bank precipitous the people were in the water the moment 
they abandoned the shore, and were not strong enough to draw 
said batteaux ; this necessitated my sojourn at that place, where 
having been joined by the Christian Iroquois of the Sault and of 
Montreal, they undertook, for a few presents of Brandy and 
Tobacco, to pass the said batteaux and the largest canoes, which 
they fortunately accomplished in two days without any accident. 

On the morning of the fifth I found the new bark arrived at La 
Galette where I had all the provisions discharged from the canoes 
before eight o'clock in the morning, and these despatched at the 
same time on their return to la Chine to reload there. The strong 
winds from the South West, which constantly prevailed all this 
time, and which obstinately continued during the remainder of 
the month, were the cause of the great diligence that the bark had 
made, and likewise delayed our march so much, that I could not 
arrive, at the fort, with my canoes alone, until the ninth. I was 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 113 

joined there by Father de Lamberville whom I despatched next 
day to his brother at Onnontague whom I instructed to assure 
tliose of that Nation that I had so much respect for their request 
and for those of the other two, that I shoukl prefer their media- 
tion to war, provided they made me a reasonable satisfaction. 

Three things obliged me to adopt this resolution : the first, 
because it appeared by letters I had received from Colonel Don- 
gan, in answer to the message by the man named Bourbon, that 
he was very far from the good understanding of which His Ma- 
jesty had assured me ; but much disposed to interfere as our ene- 
my in this matter. The second, because I had few provisions, 
and I did not see that any effort was made to forward flour tome, 
with any diligence, from Montreal ; and the third, because the 
wind prevailed so strong from the South east, that my bark did 
not return from La Galette, and I could not despatch another to 
Lake Ontario, to notify the army of the South, which was to ar- 
rive forthwith at Niagara, of my arrival at Fort Frontenac with 
that of the North. 

I afterwards reviewed all our troops, as annexed, and Sieur le 
Moine having overtaken me on the same day with the remainder of 
the Christian Iroquois who had not previously arrived, I des- 
patched him on the sixteenth to Onnontague and placed in his 
hands, Tegancourt, the ambassador from the Senecas, whom I 
had arrested at Quebec. Seeing the wind always contrary I sent 
on the preceding day, eight of the largest canoes that I had to 
the bark at La Galette to bring me ten thousand weight of flour, 
bread beginning to fail which caused me a good deal of uneasi- 
ness and created considerable murmurs among the troops and the 
militia. Finally on the 21^^ my canoes arrived with what I sent 
them for. I set to work immediately with all possible diligence 
to have bread and biscuit baked, and sent off forthwith, the 
King's troops, D'Orvilliers' and Dugue's two brigades, and two 
hundred Christian savages to encamp at La Famine [Hungry 
bay], a post favorable for fishing anr! hunting and four leagues 
from Onontague, so as to be nearer the enemy and to be able to 
refresh our troops by fishing and the chase, whilst we were short 
8 



114 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

of jirovislonSj intending to join them, myself, with about three 
hundred Frenchmen whom I had remaining. 

On the 25'h the canoes which I had detached from La Galette 
to Montreal, arrived, but in far less number than I had looked 
for, and brought me but eight or nine thousand weight of flour, 
instead of twenty thousand which I expected, having left them 
ready for loading when I departeil. I caused bread and biscuit 
to be immediately made of it for the support of cur troops who 
were at the place called La Famine. 

On the 27th at four o'clock in the afternoon, a canoe of M. 
Lemoine's men arrived from Onnontague with Tegancourt who 
reported to me, that t!ie Onnontaguos had received orders from 
Col. Dongan which he sent by the person named Arnaud, for- 
bidding them to enter into any treaty with me without his ex- 
press permission, considering them the Duke of York's subjects, 
and that he had caused the Arms of the said Duke to be planted 
three days before, in their village ; that the Council had been 
convened at the said place of Onontague and Sieur Lemoine invi- 
ted to repair thither, in which the matter having been debated, 
these savages got into a furious rage, with some danger to the 
English delegate, saying they were free, and that God, who had 
created the Earth, had granted them theirs without subjecting 
them to any person, and they requested the elder Father Lamber- 
ville to write to Colonel Dongan the annexed letter, and the said 
Sieur Lemoine having well sustained the French interests, they 
unanimously resolved to start in two days, to conclude with me 
at La Famine. On the receipt of this news I immediately called 
out my canoes in order to depart and was accompanied by a dozen 
of others having caused six of the largest to be loaded with 
bread and biscuit for the army. 

After having been beaten by bad weather and high wind, we 
arrived in two days at La Famine. T found there tertian and 
douhle tertian fever Avhich broke out among our people so that 
more than one hundred and fifty men were attacked by it ; I had 
also left some of them at the fort, which caused me to despatch, 
on arriving, a Christian savage to Onontague to M. Lemoine, to 
request him to cause the instant departure of those who were to 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 115 

come to meet me, which he did with so much <lili<ience, tliouoh he 
and his children were sick, that he arrived as early as the third 
of September with fourteen Deputies; nine from Onnontague, 
three from Oneida and two Cayugas, who paid me their respects 
and whom I entertained the best manner I was able, postponing 
until the morrow morning the talk about business, at which mat- 
ters were fully discussed and peace concluded after six hours ile- 
liberation, three in the morning and as many after dinner. Father 
Brias speaking for us and Hotrehonati and Garagonkier for the 
Iroquois; Tegancout, a Seneca present, the other Senecas not 
daring to come in order not to displease Col. Dongnn, who sent 
to promise them a reinforcement of four hundred horse and four 
hundred foot, if we attacked them. The treaty was concluded in 
the evening on the conditions annexed, and I promised to decamp 
the next day and withdraw my troops from their vicinity ; which 
I was, indeed, obliged to do by the number of sick which had 
augmented to such a degree that it was with difficulty I found 
enough of persons in health to remove the sick to the canoes, be- 
sides the scarcity of provisions having no more than the trifle of 
bread which I brought them. 

I allowed the Onontagues to light the Council fire at this post 
without extinguishing that at Montreal, in order to be entitled to 
take possession of it by their consent when the King should desire 
it and thereby exclude the English and Col. Dongan from their 
pretensions. 

On leaving the Fort I had ordered one of the barks to go to 
Niagara to notify the army of the South to return by Lake Erie 
toward Missilimakinack. She had a favorable passage; found it 
arrived only six hours previously to the number of seven hundred 
men, viz : one hundred and fifty French and the remainder In- 
dians. 

I departed on the sixth, having had all the sick of my troops 
embarked before day (so as not to be seen by the Indians) to the 
number of one hundred and fifty canoes and twelve flat batteaux 
and arrived in the evening of the same day at Fort Frontenac, 
where I found one hundred and ten men, of the number I had 
left there, already departed, all sick, for Montreal, and having 



116 DE LA BARRK's EXPEDITION 

iliven the necessary orders as to the number of soldiers to be left 
there for the security of that post, until the arrival from France 
of Sieur de la Forest, Major thereof, I started, about nine or ten 
oVlock in the morning, on my return. Shortly after my depar- 
ture, the bark arrived from Niagara with some French officers of 
the army \vho brought me news from it at night, and assured me 
that the Chiefs of all the savages had accompanied them to the 
Fort, desirous to see me, and that they would visit me at Mon- 
treal, where I should await them. The Rev. Father de Lamber- 
ville Sen"" came, likewise, with these Gentlemen on account of 
some difficulties which he was very glad to arrange for Onon- 
tague whither he returned. We worked some hours together j I 
then sent him back to the foi t with some of the arrived French ; 
the others being desirous to leave and come down again into the 
country. 

After having waited some time for Mess" du Tast and de Ca- 
honet, to whom I gave one of my canoes and two of my atten- 
dants well acquainted with the navigation, to pilot their batteaux 
and troops in safety through the rapids, I resumed my journey 
down the river. I likewise took on board one of my canoes the 
Sieur Le Moine whose fever had seriously augmented, and who 
had served the King in this affair with so much zeal and affec- 
tion, aided by the intimate knowledge he had of the Iroquois 
language, that it may be said the entire Colony owe him a debt 
of eternal gratitude. 

Finally, in ray return of three days I accomplished what cost us 
thirteen in ascending, and found in the stores at Montreal and la 
Chine, forty-live thousand weight of Hour, which, had we received 
it, would have enabled us to have made a longer sojourn in the 
upper country. 

Done at Quebec the P^ day of October 1G84. 

Le Febure de i.a bare. 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 117 



PRESENTS MADE BY THE ONNONTAGUES TO ONOxNTlO, AT 
LA FAMINE, THE 5th 7ber 1684 * 

[From the same.] 

The Onnontagu6s, whose mediation between the French and 
the Senecas the General accepted, having repaired to a place 
called La Famine about 25 leagues from their country, Sieiir 
Hateouati, who is the Orator of that Nation, spoke by fifteen pre- 
sents, not only on behalf of the Senecas, but also for the other 
Iroquois Nations. 

1st Word of the Iroquois. After having taken God to witness 
the sincerity of his heart, and having assured Onontio of the 
truth of his words, he spoke in this wise : 

I give you a Beverage devoid of bitterness, to purify whatever 
inconvenience you may have experienced during the voyage, and 
to dispel whatever bad air you may have breathed between Mon- 
treal and this place. 

Answer of Onontio to the words of Hoteouate : — As I have 
placed in your hands the mediation with the Senecas, I wish, 
truly, to do what you ask me. I, therefore, lay down my Hat- 
chet and refer to you to obtain a reasonable satisfaction. 

2d Word. I remove the hatchet with which you threaten to 
strike the Senecas. Remember he is your child, and that you 
are his father. 

3d Word. Mr. Lemoine, your ordinary envoy, having come 
last year, and speaking to us in your name, cut a deep ditch into 
which he told us you and we should cast all the unkind things 
that might occur ; I have not forgotten this word, and in obe- 
dience to it, I request you to throw into that ditch the Seneca 
roTjbery, and that it may disturb neither our country nor yours. 

Answer. That ditch is well cut, but as your young men have 
no sense, and as. they may make this a pretext for committing 
acts of hostility anew, after having cast the Seneca robbery into 
that ditch, as you desire ; arrest, then, your young men, as I shall 
restrain mine. I cover it up forever. 

• Endorsed by the Ministor, " These letters must be kept secret." 



118 DE LA BAUKe's EXPEDITiON 

4th Word. I set up again the tree of peace, which weplantc! 
at Montreal, in the conference we had the honor to have wiih 
you last summer. 

Jinswir. It is not I who think of throwing it down : it is 
your nephews who have seriously shaken it. I strengthen it. 

5th Word. I exhort you, Fatlier, to sustain it strongly, in or- 
der that nothing may shake it. 

()th Word. I again tie up (je rattache) the Sun which was 
altogether obscured : I dispel all the clouds and mists that con- 
cealed it from our view. 

7tii Word. The robbery committed by the Senecas on your 
nephews, is not a sufficient motive to make war against tluin. 
Where has blood been shed? I promise you that satisfaction shall 
be afforded you for the loss the French have experienced by the 
pillage of their merchandize. 

Answer of Onontio. It is good that you promise me satisfac- 
tion : deceive me not. The first thing that I expect of you is 
that you restore me the two prisoners of Etionnontate who art 
with the Seneca, and a third who remains at Cayuga. 

3th Word. Onontio, my father, I feel uneasy and cannot pluck 
up courage, whatever kindnesses you have the goodness to show 
me. What disquiets me, is to behold Soldiers, hear drums, etc. 
I pray you return to Quebec, so that your children may sleep in 
peace. 

Answer. I depart to-morrow and quit this country, to show 
you what deference I pay to your demands. 

gth Word. The fires of j)eace and the halls of our Councils 
'were at Frontenac or at Montreal. The former is a poor country 
where the Grasshoppers prevent me sleeping, and the second is far 
away for our old men. I kindle the fires of peace on this spot, 
wlwch is the most agreable that we can select, where there is good 
fishing, hunting, &c. 

Answer. I accept the selection you have made of this place 
for our conferences, without, liowever, extinguishing the fire whirl) 
I keep burning at Montreal. 

IQth Word. Our warriors have, as well as our other chiefs, 
accepted the peace. I bear their words by this belt. 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 119 

Answer. You need not doubt tlie obedience of my soldiers ; 
endeavour to make yourselves obeyed by your own. To prove 
to you that I maintain uphold the tree of peace, I sent to Niagara 
to cause the army to return which was coming from that di- 
rection. 

nth Word. You told us, last summer, to strike the enemy no 
more. We heard your voice. We shall not go to war again in 
that quarter. 

Answer. Remember that the Maskoutenek is brother to the 
Oumeami. Therefore strike neither the one nor the other. 

12*^'' Word. He has killed some, this spring, in divers ren- 
counters, but as you bound my arms I allowed myself to be 
beaten, without defending myself. 

Answer. That's good ; you need not pursue the Oumeami 
who struck you ; I shall send him word not to commit any more 
acts of hostility. 

13th Word. Regarding the Illinois, I am at war with him ; 
we shall, both of us, die fighting. 

Answer. Take heed, in firing at the Illinois, not to strike the 
French whom you meet on your path and in the neighbourhood 
of Fort St. Louis. 

14th Word. Restore to us the Missionaries whom you have 
withdrawn from our villages. 

Answer. They shall not be taken from you who are our me- 
diators ; and when the Senecas shall have commenced to give ite 
satisfaction, they shall be restored to them as well as to the other 
nations. 

15"> and last Word. Prevent the Christians of the Sault and 
of the Mountain coming any more among us, to seduce our peo- 
ple to Montreal ; let them cease to dismember our country as 
they do every year. 

Answer. It is not my children of the Sault nor of the Moun- 
tain who dismember your country j it is yourselves who dismember 
it by your drunkenness and superstitions. Besides, there is full lib- 
erty to come and reside among us; no person is retained by force. 

The General added two presents to the above. 

By the first he said : You see the consideration which I have 



120 DE LA barre's expedition 

for the request you have n.ade me. I ask you in return, if the 
Seneca, Cayuga or any other commit a similar insult against me, 
that you first give him some sense, and if he will not hear you, 
that you abandon him as one disaffected. 

By the last belt, he exhorted them to listen not to evil sayings, 
and told them to conduct Tegannehout back to Seneca and to 
inform these of the above conclusions. 



M. DE MEULLES TO THE MINISTER. 

[From the same.] 

My Lord — I thought you would be impatient to learn the suc- 
cess and result of the war the General had undertaken against 
the Iroquois which rendered it necessary for him to call 
a part of the people of this country together and make all neces- 
sary preparation, at his Majesty's expense, for this expedition. 
The troops have been as far as a place called La Famine, thirty 
leagues beyond Fort Frontcnac. The army consisted of nine 
hundred French and three hundred Savages, and from the Nia- 
gara side there was another army of six hundred men, one third 
of whom were French and the remainder Ottawas and Hurons, 
amounting: in all to eighteen hundred men. 

What Indians there were evinced the best disposition to fight 
the Iroquois to the death. Sieur de la Durantaye who brought 
the last six hundred men from Missilimakinak, has informed us 
that he learned from, a Miami Chief that more than a thousand 
Illinois were coming to our aid on learning that we were about to 
fight the Iroquois, to such a degree are they their irreconcileable 
enemies. Certainly, never was there remarked a better disposi- 
tion to fight and concjuer them and purge the country of that na- 
tion which will be eternally our enemy. All the French breathed 
nothing but war, and though they saw themselves obliged to 
abandon their families, they consoled themselves with the hope 
of liberating them by one victory from a nation so odious as 
the Iroquois, at whose hands they constantly dreaded ambushes 
and destruction. But the General did not think proper to 



TO HUXGRY BAY. ]21 

push matters any farther, and without any necessity sent Sieur 
Le Moyne to the said Iroquois to treat of peace at a time v.'hen 
every one was in good health, and when all necessary provision 
was made of food, &c. to dare every enterprize ; and finally af- 
ter various comings and goings on one side and the other, the Ge- 
neral concluded peace such as you will see by the articles which 
I take the liberty to send you as written by the hand of his Se- 
cretary. 

This peace, my Lord, has astonished all the Officers who had 
the command in that army and all those who composed it, who 
have testified so deep a displeasure and so sovereign a contempt 
for the General's person that they could not prevent themselves 
evincing it to him. I assure you, my Lord, that had I strayed 
ever so little from my duty and not exhibited exteriorly, since 
his return, the respect I owe his character, the whole world would 
have risen against him and would have been guilty of some ex- 
cess. 

The said General excuses himself because of the sick and even 
says that the troops lacked food • to which I feel obliged to an- 
swer, being certain that he seeks every pretext and has recourse 
to every expedient to exculpate himself and perhaps to put the 
blame on me. 

'Tis certain that there was a great number of sick among the 
Militia which he took with him to Fort Frontenac, who were in 
perfect good health on arriving there, but having encamped them 
for a fortnight in prairies between the woods and a pond, it is not 
surprizing that some fell sick. Again he made them camp at La 
Famine in places that were never inhabited, entirely surrounded 
by swamps, which contributed still considerably to the sickness 
in his army ; and had he remained there longer he would not 
have saved a man. This has caused every one to say that he 
did not care, that he had not the least desire to make war ; that 
he m-ade no use of his long sojourns except employing them in 
his negociations. Had he seriously wished to make war on the 
said Iroquois he would not have remained ten to twelve days at 
Montreal, fourteen or fifteen at Fort Frontenac and as many at 
La Famine, but would have remained merely a day or two, and 



122 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

would have used the greatest despatch to fight the Iroquois, luid 
not uselessly consumed all his provisions ; he would have, indu- 
bitably surprised the said Iroquois who did not expect this war, 
especially as the greater number of their young men had been at 
war in the beginning of the spring. 

He says he lacked provisions ; though that were true, he would 
be the cause and could not but accuse himself of imprudence, 
having supplied him, generally, with whatever he required of me, 
of which the whole country is a witness, and with a little pre- 
caution or rather good faith he would have had every thing in 
abundance. He had determined not to leave until the 15*^ ^f 
August ; he departed on the 15*^" July. That did not prevent 
me furnishing all that he required of me, such as batteaux, ca- 
noes, arms, ammunition, and all the provision he desired. This 
is so true that there yet remained at the end of the island of Mon- 
treal, at a place called La Chine thirty-five thousand weight of 
flour and five of biscuit which he found on his return, and which 
he had requested me to retain for him at Montreal. Had he not 
halted and had he been disposed to push into the Iroquois Coun- 
try, the first convoy of provisions which accompanied him liad 
sufficed, the greater number of the militia, unwilling to wait for 
the King's supplies having laid in their own private stock, the 
greater part of which they brought back with them, which all the 
Captains in command will certify. This convoy consisted of 
eighteen canoes full of biscuit, pork, brandy and apparently other 
things which I do not precisely know having been loaded at Mont- 
real whilst I was at Quebec where I issued orders for the provi- 
Bions that the General had demanded of me and for attending 
to the harvest of tliose who had gone to the war. 

If it had been the General's design to make war, he should 
not have caused the cargoes of the eighteen canoes I have men- 
tioned to b(! put into barks thirty leagues from Montreal above 
the Rapids, instead of letting the voyage be continued by the 
canocmen who were paid to go to Fort Frontenac and who had 
already accomplished the roughest half of the road, and who, 
without a doubt, would have arrived in three days at the Fort, 
which was represented to him by all the officers who stated to 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 123 

him thcit the barks required wind which being contrary would 
keep them raoie than three weeks from arriving. This turned out 
to be true. Notwithstanding all these reasons he absolutely in- 
sisted that all the said provisions should be put in the barks. 
Some have assured me that the canoes of said convoy were partly 
laden with merchandize, and not being very desirous to let the 
circumstance be known, he had caused the said barks to precede 
the canoes to put the goods secretly into them and keep the 
knowledge of it from every body. By these means he made use 
of these canoes to convey these merchandizes to the Fort at the 
King's expense, which he has always practised for t'vo years, ever 
pretending certain necessity to transport munitions of war, and 
to make use, by this means, of the conveyances for which the 
King is made to pay, under pretext to keep the Fort in good or- 
der. It is impossible to conceive the quantity of Brandy that 
he has caused to be conveyed thither during eighteen months, of 
which I have had most positive information, and of which I had 
the honour to advise you in my last. Others supposed that he 
had the said provisions put on board those barks in order to ob- 
tain time and by this address, to negotiate a peace with the Iro- 
quois, as he had sent Sieur Le Moyne to them who is a very 
brave man and who despaired of all these negotiations, stating 
openly that they ought to be whipt. All the delays at Montreal, 
the Fort, and at La Famine caused the useless consumption of 
a portion of the supplies which, however, did not fail ; other 
convoys having been received from time to time, but these were 
always wasted without any thing having been done. 

After the said General had determined in his own mind on this 
war, he sent the man named Bourbon, an inhabitant of this coun- 
try to Colonel Dongan to advise him that he was obliged to wage 
war against the Iroquois, requesting him not to afford them an) 
aid ; which he confided to me eight days after the departure o( 
the said Bourbon. This obliged me to tell him that I was asto- 
nished that he should have thus proceeded ; that the Iroquois 
having insulted us and intending to fight with and destroy them, I 
should not have deemed it proper to inform neighbours who have 
an interest in our destruction ; and that he afforded thereby an op- 



124 DE LA barre's expedition 

portunity toCol. Dongan,who is an Englishman, and consequent- 
ly our born enemy, to give underhand information of our designs 
to the Iroquois, and convey secretly to them all that may be ne- 
cessary for their defence against us. I asked him if he did not 
perceive that the English would never desire our advantage, and 
that they would contribute all in their power to destroy us, though 
at peace as regards France ; that they would always be jealous 
of the Fur trade prosecuted by us in this Country, which would 
make them prottct the Iroquois always against us. 

This Bouiboii negotiation gave Colonel Dongan occasion to 
use some rhodomontade as the General has informed me ; and 
this assuredly it was that obliged him, having this information, to 
send an Englishman, who is in the habit of trading among the 
said Indians, to plant the Duke of York's arms among the On- 
nontagues, which is an Iroquois village, wishing by that act to 
take the first possession of the Country. We have not heard 
talk of any other movement on the English side, and it is even 
certain that they will never cause us any dread from that quarter 
and that they could not prevent us to achieve that conquest this 
year, had the General been willing to fight. 

You can hardly believe, my Lord, that the General has, alone, 
undertaken the war without having consulted any person, neither 
ofl^cers of the army nor gentlemen, nor the people of the country 
who are the most interested, nor any individual whosoever he 
might be, except Sier de la Chesnayne, wuth whom he acts in 
concert for the entire destruction and ruin of the country. He 
has again made peace in this manner without any communication 
with any of the officers or others of those who were near his 
person. What seems a wonder in the country is that one indi- 
vidual, subject of his Majesty like others, should, of his own will, 
make war and peace without having consulted or demanded the 
opinion of any person. His Majesty never acted thus. He has 
his Council of War, and when he is about towage it, he demands 
advice of those of his council, in communicating to them the 
reasons which he may have to do so, and even causes the publi- 
cation of manifests throughout the Kingdom, wishing to commu- 
nicate to his people the justice of his undertakings. But the 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 125 

General has treated of peace, like a sovereign, with the said Iro- 
quois, having employed none of those who were nigh him and 
who were acquainted with the Iroquois tongue, except as Inter- 
preters. He dare not consult the officers, being certain that they 
would all have concluded on war; and but little was necessary 
to make them select a chief from among themselves to attack the 
enemy. 

The said General proceeds at the head of a small force to make 
war against the Iroquois, and far from doing that, he grants them 
all they ask. His principal design was to attack the Senecas, but 
instead of showing him any civility, they did not even condescend 
to come and meet him, and gave an insolent answer to those who 
proposed it to them. If people had any thing to say to them, 
let them take the trouble and come and meet them. There came 
altogether on this embassy only a certain sycophant who seeks 
merely a good dinner, and a real buffoon called among the French 
La Grande Gueule [Big Throat,] accompanied by eight or ten 
miserable fellows who fooled the General in a most shameful 
manner, which you will perceive by the articles of peace I have 
the honour to send you, and which I doubt not he also will send 
you. They will assuredly excite your pity. You will see he 
abandons the Illinois among whom M. de la Salle is about to es- 
tablish himself and who are the cause of this war, inasmuch as 
the Iroquois attacked them even in Fort St. Louis which the said 
Sieur de la Salle had erected among them, and of which the 
General took possession, having ousted and driven away those 
whom the said Sieur de la Salle had left in command there, and 
whither he sent Sieur de Bangy his lieutenant of the guards, who 
is still there. 

When he concluded this peace he already had His Majesty's 
letter eight days in his possession, but so far from conforming to 
its inteiitions, he consents to the slaughter of the Illinois who are 
our allies, and where His Majesty designed to plant a new Colo- 
ny or some powerful establishment under M. de la Salle's direc- 
tion. I consider it also my duty to inform your Lordship that 
the General quit La Famine the moment the peace was concluded 
without taking the least care of the troops, abandoning them al- 



,26 DE LA BARRE S EXPEDITION 

too-ethcr to their own guidance, forbidding them on pain of death 
to leave the place until a long time after him, fearing to be sur- 
prised by the Iroquois, and having (so to say) lost his wits, caring 
little what became of the array. Certain it is that he went up to 
the Fort without taking information about any thing and returned 
In the same manner. 

The worst of this affair is the loss of the trade which I find in- 
evitable, because the Outawas and other Savages who came to our 
aid will hereafter entertain no respect for us, and will regard us as 
a people without courage and without resolution. I doubt not, my 
lord, but the General sends you a letter which he received from 
Father Lamberville, Jesuit, who is a missionary in an Iroquois 
village at Onnontagut^, whence those ambassadors came with whom 
peace was negotiated. The Father, who had learned the Gene- 
ral's intentions from Sieur Le Moyne, has been wise and sufficient- 
ly discreet, anticipating his design, to write to him in accordance 
with his views, and to ingeniously solicit that which must flatter 
and highly please him. But orie thing, is certain that all the Je- 
suits at Quebec, and particularly Father Bechefer have openly 
stated in Quebec for six weeks, that the country was destroyed if 
peace were concluded ; which is so true, that having communi- 
cated to him the two letters I wrote to the General, he highly ap- 
proved of them aad advised me to send them to the fort. I shall 
take leave to send you copies of them, requesting you very re- 
spectfully, to be persuaded that I speak to you without passion, 
and that I state nothing to you but what is most true and reliable, 
and because I feel obliged to let you know the truth as regards all 
things, without which you will never have the Itaft confidence in 
me. 

I should wish, my Lord, to avoid explaining myself in this 
manner, fearing you might infer that we were, the General and I, 
greatly disunited, which is quite contrary to the mannei in which 
we live together, since it is certain that we never had, pers^mally, 
the least difference wishing in that to conform myself to your 
wishes and His Majesty's orders, aware that it is the most asrured 
means that I can take to be agreeable to you, which is the fu>]e 
ambition T have in the world, and to prove to you that no po^- 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 127 

son can be with more profound respect and greater devotedness 
than I, my Lord, 

Your very humble and very ob: serv'. 
This, my Lord, is only incidentally. I defer informing you of 
what has occurred in this country during this year, until the de- 
parture of the vessels. 

Quebec, the lO'h S^*" 1684. 

Demeulles. 



FATHER LAMBERVILLE, MISSIONARY AT OxNONDAGA, TO 
M. DE LA BARRE. 

[Onomlaga,] July 10, I68-I. 

Sir, — A general Assembly of all the Iroquois will be held here 
at which it is intended to unite against you, and to inform the 
Senecas that you wish to persuade the four Iroquois Nations 
not to aid them in case of war. I am surprised that M. Le Moyne 
or some other persons have not told you that all the villages were 
confederated, and that one could not be attacked w^ithoul becom- 
ing embroiled with the others. 

Did affairs permit, I should have much wished to tell you my 
thoughts on many things. My brother will inform you of all 
when he will have the honor to see you Tiie On[non]ta(TU(5s 
who have been spoken to, would like much to settle matters ; 
this is the reason my brother goes to you, whilst I still keej) them 
dispose(l to L'ive you satisfaction, in order to avoid if possible 
an infinitude of evils which will overtake Canada, and as I know- 
not whether you desire war without listening to proposals for 
peace, I wish to understand whether it is not fitter that I with- 
draw, if possible, rather than give occasion to the Iroquois to say 
that I deceived them,by propositions for peace. The Onontagu^s 
and other nations say, that it grieves them to take up arms against 
you wdio are their neighbour, and who form almost one country 
with them. 

They acknowledge that the Senecas are proud and insolent on 
account of their great number of warriors, but if you are desirous 



128 DE LA barre's expeditiox 

to maintain peace by some satisfaction wliich they will imluce the 
Scntcas to make you, it will be very acceptable, so as not to 
be obliged to come to extremities which will be very disastrous. 
If war occurs, Sir, all those who have houses apart from fortified 
plat'es must at once abandon their dwellings, for the grain and 
the houses will be burned, and many will otherwise be brought 
away prisoners to be cruelly tormented and insulted. I always 
think that peace ought to be most precious to you, and that all 
the advantages that can be held out ought to cause you to shrink 
from war. A delay in order to arrange every thing more at lei- 
sure and after having received assistance from France, would ex- 
tricate you from much embarrassment which will follow from all 
sides. Pardon me if I give free expression to my thoughts; you 
will not at least disapprove of the zeal with w'^'' I am with much 
respect and submission 

Your very humble and 

Very Obedient Servant 
(Signed) DeLajviberville. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

11 July 1684. 

Sir, — A troop of Senecas on their way to buy their supplies 
and munitions of powder, lead, and arms are two days [distance] 
from here. They are expected in order to talk fully of affairs and 
to endeavour for the preservation peace to induce them to give you 
satisfaction. I believe if you are really desirous to come to an 
arrangement in which an effort will be made to satisfy you, and 
wherein wnll be prescribed the boundaries of war and trade, you 
would have leisure to provide with less trouble and embarrass- 
uicnt for 1 he security of Canada, either by erecting forts at La 
Famine or towards the Senecas under the pretext of establishing 
a blacksmith, or at La Galette according as you think proper. 

I do not believe that you will derive any advantage this year 
from war, if you wage it ; for not only will almost the whole of 
(he Iroquois prosecute the war in Canada, but you will not find 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 129 

the Senecas in their villages, in which they give out they will not 
shut themselves up, but conceal themselves in the grass and pre- 
pare ambuscades every where for you. Regarding your declara- 
tion to the Iroquois that you had no ill will except against the 
Senecas, they convoked a general Diet here where they will con- 
clude to league themselves against you, if you will not accept tb.e 
propositions of peace for which the Onnontaguc wishes to obtain the 
consent of the Seneca who has already placed in security the old 
grain, and made a retreat in the woods for the children, women 
and old men, of which you will be ignorant. 

The Warriors are to prowl every where, killing without if pos- 
sible being killed. If their Indian corn be cut, it will cost much 
blood and men — You must also resolve to lose the harvest of the 
French grain to which the Iroquois will set fire. As for the 
French settlements, the Iroquois suppose that they are all aban- 
doned and that the people have retired within the forts ; other- 
W'ise, they would be a prey to the enemy. It is the opinion that 
if you begin the war, it will be of long duration, and that to feed 
those in Canada you will have to bring provisions from France. 
The Iroquois believes that he will destroy the Colony in case of 
war, for he will never fight by rule against us and will not shut 
himself up in any fort in which he might be stormed. Thus they 
are under the impression that, no person daring to come into un- 
known forests to pursue them, they can neither be destroyed nor 
captured, having a vast hunting ground in their rear, towards 
Merilande and Virginia, as well as places adjoining their villa- 
ges, wholly unknown to the French, If winter were not so cold 
in this country, that would be the time to wage war, for one can 
then see all around, and the trail cannot be concealed ; but every 
thing must be carried — provisions, arms, powder, and lead. You 
can not believe. Sir, with what joy the Senecas learned that you 
would, possibly, determine on war ; and from the report the sa- 
vai^es make them of the preparations-apparent at Kataroskouy, 
thfy say, that the French have a great desire to be stiijjt, roasted 
and eaten; and that they will see if their flesh, which they say 
is salt on account of the salt they make use of be as good as that 
of their other enemies whom they devour. 
9 



130 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

The envoy of the Governor of New York who is here promises 
the Iroquois goods at a considerable reduction ; 7 a 8 lbs. of pow 
der for a Beaver j as much lead as a man can carry for a Beaver, 
and so with the rest. 

Every thing considered, Sir, if you wdll be content with a sat- 
isfaction which we will endeavor to obtain for you from the Se- 
necas, you will prevent great evils which must fall on Canada in 
case of war ; you will divert from it famine and many misfor- 
tunes, especially will you avoid much confusion and great sutfer- 
ing 10 the French who will fall into the hands of the Iroquois, 
w'ho, as you are aware, exercise the most cruel and shameful 
cruelties towards their captives. Independent of there being no 
profit in fighting with this sort of banditti whom you, assuredly, 
will not catch and who will catch many of your people who will 
be surprised in every quarter. 

The man called Hannatakta and some others of influence told 
me they pitied you. These are their words — they besought you not 
to force them to wage w^ar against you ; that the five Nations would 
be obliged to unite against you ; that the French and the Iroquois 
being so near the one to the other, the w^ar would be too disas- 
trous to you, because, say they, our mode of fighting, of haras- 
sing, of living, of surprizing and flying to the woods will be the 
ruin of the French who are accustomed to fight against towns 
capable of defence or against armies who appear in tlie plains ; if 
there be misunderstanding it ought to be settled. All the Iro- 
quois are persuaded that before going to war you will try the 
ways of mildness and tell the Senecas to appease your anger for 
what they have plundered ; that if you begin by a desire to wage 
war and will not act as a father towards your children, they have 
already declared beforehand that they will all unite against you. 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 131 



FROM THE- SAME TO THE SAME. 

July 13. 1684. 

My Lord — I have the honor to write to you by Father Millet 
who passes here in retiring from among the Iroquois who cannot 
be persuailed that you have determined on waging war against 
them, not having demanded any satisfaction of them for the 
merchandize of the Frenchmen whom the Senecas plundered. To 
turn away the scourge of war and the miseries which must follow 
it, especially among the French who will find themselves attacked 
by all the Iroquois if any hostile act is committed against the Se- 
necas, I have strongly urged the Onnontagues to give you satis- 
faction according to the instructions which the Christian Iroquois, 
your deputies here, had. To-morrow a great number of Senecas 
are expected with several Cayugas and the Ambassadors from the 
two Lower Nations to talk about business. 

The Senecas consequent on tiie declaration you made to them 
that you would proceed to their country, have concealed their 
old grain, prepared a distant retreat in the wooden fort for the 
security of their old men, women and children, and conveyed 
whatever they have of value out of their villages. The Warriors 
in great number have heard this news with much joy; they are 
determined to fight, not in their forts for they have none, and 
will not shut themseu-es up any wdiere, but under cover, behind 
trees, and in the grass where they will try to do you considera- 
ble injury, if you want war. The Onnontagues — men of busi- 
ness — wish to arrange matters, especially having lost nothing of 
theirs, except only some goods. Must the father and children, 
they ask, cut each others throats for clothes ? The children 
must satisfy the father to whom they owe honor and respect. 

Further, I, last year, guarantied by two Wampum belts — one 
to the Senecas and the other here — that if the Iroquois array met 
the French who were towards Illinois, and any acts of hostility 
should follow on one side or the other, they would mutually 
arrange the difficult}'- w^ithout it leading to any consequences, 
and this is what we are endeavoring to persuade the Senecas to 



132 DE LA BARRE's EXPEDITION 

do. Father Millet, to whom I communicated all, and who has 
just passed, will tell you every thing and how apropos it would 
be that M. le Moine should come here to fetch those Chiefs and 
Warriors who will most willingly meet you under the safe con- 
duct which you will give them through M. le Moine (who can 
come here in all surety and without any fear) to be conducted to 
your rendezvous near Seneca or to the Fort, in order to settle 
matters in a friendly manner. 

The Iroquois say they will not commit any act of hostility 
against you, unless you commence either by attacking the Senecas 
or by refusing all satisfaction, for they remark, it is painful to 
come to blows with their Father. They all say that their mode 
of warfare will be disastrous to you, but that the respect they 
entertain towards you, and which w^e insinuate among them, 
withholds them until they are forced, they add, to wage a sor- 
rowful war, despite themselves, against you. They wish, first of 
all, they say, to avoid the reproach of not having kept their 
word which they gave. I told M. le Moine of the above. 

My brother expects to leave with your deputies to carry to you 
the result of the Iroquois Diet, where the Onnontagu6 who as- 
sumes to be a moderator, pretends to force the Senecas to disa- 
vow what two of their captains caused their warriors to do, and 
to quieten again your mind ; that is, they say, by some satisfac- 
tion which may afford you an honorable pretext to pay a friendly 
visit to Kaniatarontagouat [now, Irondequot Bay] and not to ap- 
pear there as an enemy. 

I forgot to inform you that the Iroquois say they have accepted 
the satisfaction they received for the death of their captain, Hann- 
henhax, killed by the Kiskakous, and that it would seem very 
strange to them that you should refuse the satisf\cti(m they wish 
to induce the Senecas to give you for the pillaged merchandize 
which, in their estimation is next to nothing compared with that 
important [council] fire In your childien's cabin. I pray God 
that lie conduct matters for ITis glory and the country's good and 
that He preserve you long, which is the wish, my Lord, of 
Your very humble & very ob* Serv*, 

J. DE LaMBERVILLE. 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 133 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

18 July, 1684. 

Sir — The Council convoked at Onnontagu6 was, at lengtli, 
held on the 16''» and 17^'^ of July. You will see by the memoir 
I enclose in this letter what you said to the Onnontagu^>s and 
what they reply by three Belts. Since you spoke, or I have 
made you speak to the Senecas assembled here in a body, Chiefs 
and Warriors, and their answer, we have spoken to them by three 
Belts and they have answered you by nine. 

These are twehe Belts which your ambassadors take to you. 
I know not if you will accept the trifling pains we have taken to 
Cctuse satisfaction to be given you, and to extricate you from the 
fatigues, the embarrassments and consequences of a disastrous 
war, and procure at the same time freedom of trade ; for the Se- 
necas informed me at night, by express, that they would give 
you more satisfaction than you expected, because they wished 
through respect for you, not to wage war any more against the 
Oumiamis, if you so wish it, and even any other nation if you 
insist on it. In fine, they do not wage war save but to secure a 
good peace. They return without striking a blow, without shed- 
ding blood, etc. The Seneca Iroquois offer you more than you 
would have believed. 

The Onnontagues considered their honour engaged to this 
meeting, and have put all sorts of machinery in motion to induce 
the Senecas to condescend to place their affairs in their hands. On 
the first day of the Council every thing was almost despaired of, 
and the plenipotentiaries all excited came to see me, saying they 
•gained nothing on the Senecas, and that up to that time they most 
willingly accepted war ; that they rejected the presents which you 
and they had made them. They sent me back a collection of belts, 
that the chiefs and warriors acted with great zeal in combatting the 
obstinacy of the Senecas so that having gained the Oneidas and 
Cayugas over to to their side, they came to liigh words. Deputies, 
notwithstanding, succeeded one another to sound me on the state 
of affairs and to learn the true cause of the withdrawal of our Mis-. 



134 DE LA BARRE S EXPEDITIOI^ 

sionaries. Finally I told them that the real cause was, that the 
displeasure which they perceived you felt, and which they also en- 
tertained at being disparaged by the Senecas, had caused them to 
withdraw to you, until they should have satisfied you. At length 
the Onnontagues persuaded them to confide in them and to place 
their affairs in their hands — that if you did not accept their media- 
tion, they should unite according to their policy, with all the other 
Iroquois against you. La Grande Gueule and his triumvirate have 
assuredly signalized themselves in this rencounter. My brother, 
who will inform you of every thing, will relate matters more in de- 
tail. We, however, await your orders which you wnll please con- 
vey to us by M. le Moine whom the Onnontagues request you to 
send instantly to them at Choueguen [Oswego] in all security and 
without the least fear. 



FKOM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

Onontaguc, this 17th August, 1684. 

My Lord — Your people have brought my brother back here 
with the greatest possible liiligence, liaving been wind bound 
three days, at one island. In order not to cause you any delay, 
which could only produce a useless consumpiion of provisions 
by your army, they arrived here with Sieur le Due at mitlnight 
and having passed the rest of the night in conferring together, 
we had tlie Chiefs and Warriors assembled at day light after hav- 
ing obtained information from La Grande Gueule and Gara- 
koritie. 

W^e declared our intentions in the presence of several Senecas 
who departed the same day to return to their country where they 
will communicate our approach. They carry one of your belts 
to reassure those who are alarmed by )our armament. The On- 
nontngUL's have dispatched some of theirs to notify the Oneida, the 
Mohawk iind the Cayuga to repair to Oihouegen [Oswego] to salute 
you and to reply to your pro|)Osals. They wish so much (o see 
M. le Moine here wlioin you promised them would come, thai it 
. appears that nothing could be done should he not arrive. Also, 



TO HUNGRY BAY. ' 135 

as you advised them not to be troubled at the sight of your barks 
and Gendarmes, they give you notice, likewise, not to be sur- 
prised when you will see faces painted red and black at Ochou- 
egen. 

I gave a Cayuga letters for you some eight or ten days ago. 
I do not know if he will have delivered them. I believe I ad- 
vised you that Colonel Dongan had the Duke of York's placards 
of protection {des sauvegardes) affixed to the three upper Iroquois 
villages, and that he styled himself Lord of the Iroquois. A 
drunken man here tore these proclamations down and nothing 
remains but the post to which the Duke of York's arms were 
attached. 

I gave La Grande Gueule your belt under hand, and remarked 
to him the things wliich you wish him to effect. He calls him- 
self your best friend and you have done well to have attached to 
you this hoc, who has the strongest head and loudest voice among 
the Iroquois, 

The over coats (capots) and shirts which you have been so 
good as to send to be used on occasions are a most efficacious 
means to gain over, or to preserve public opinion. An honora- 
ble peace will be more advantageous to Canada than a war very 
uncertain as to its success. I am of opinion, w^hatever Messi's the 
Merchants may say, that you do them a good turn by inducing 
the Iroquois to give you satisfaction, and that the war would be 
very prejudicial to them. 

I am with all sort of respect and submission, 
My Lord, 

Your very humble and very obedient servant, 

J. DE Lamberville, Jesuit. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

Onnontague, this 28th of August 1684. 
My Lord — M. le Moine's arrival has much pleased our burgo- 
masters who have exhibited towards him many attentions, and 
have promised to terminate matters with you in the manner you 



136 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

desire. The Onnontagucs have called the Deputies of each Na- 
tion together as I have advised you. TheCayugas came here the 
first, ^vith two young Tionnoutatts to restore them to you. We 
expect the SenecaSjand as we were hoping that the Oneidas wouhl 
arrive to-day, one Arnaud,' whom Father Bruyas is well acquaint- 
ed with, came here on horseback from Mr. Dongan to tell the 
Iroquois that he did not wish them to talk with you without his 
permission, being complete master of their land and conduct 
towards you ; that they belonged to the King of England and the 
Duke of York, and that their Council fires were lighted at Albany 
and that he absolutely forbad them talking with you. 

Two words which we wdiispered in the ears of your pensioner, 
La Grande Gueule, caused us to see at once how unreasonable, in 
his opinion, was so strange a proceeding as that of Mr. Dongan, 
after having liimself exhorted the Iroquois to give us satisfaction 
in order to avoid a disastrous war which v\'ould have very bad 
[consequences. | When M. le Moine and I shall have the honour 
to see you, we shall give you the particulars of these things, and 
howLa GrandeGueule came to high words against this Messenger, 
exhorting all the warriors and chiefs not to listen to the proposals 
of a man who seemed to be drunk, so opposed to all reason was 
w'hat he uttered. 

We being two or three days' journey from here, the said Mes- 
senger produced three Belts of W^ampum. The first and second 
are from the Mohawks and Oneidas, who have promised Mr. Don- 
gan that they should not go to meet us ; the third was for the 
Onnontagucs to exhort them to give their wampum belt also, as 
assurance of the same thing. They answered by La Grande 
Gueule, that they esteemed themselves too highly honored by your 
having granted them the embassy of M. le Moine and by your 
having placed the affairs of the peace in their hands, to commit 
RO cowardly an action and so grave a fault as that which he seemed 

* Arnold Cornelis" Viele, a citizen of Albany, who acted as Interpreter be- 
tweentlie Whites and Indians. For his service in this capacity he had already 
obtained from the latter, 26'!" Sept\ 16S3, a tract of land called Wachkcerhoha, 
on the north bank of the Mohawk above Schenectady, the grant of which is in 
Alb. Deed Book C, 199.— Tr. 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 137 

willing they should perpetrate. After many disputes, the Onnonta- 
gu(5s councilled among themselves, and concluded to enquire of 
M, le Moine if he would not wait the permission which Mr. Don- 
gan wished the Iroquois to have from him to talk wuth you, and 
if he would not tarry ten days more, and you remain at the Lake, 
to learn Mr. Dongan's final will. This is a piece of Iroquois cun- 
ning not to embroil themselves with Mr. Dongan, and to follow en- 
tirely what M. le Moine should say, whom they well knew woulil 
not wait so long, matters having advanced to the point at whi( h they 
are, and knowing, moreover, that delay was directly contrary to 
your instructions. The Iroquis requested M. le Moine himself* to 
communicate their opinion to the Cavalier, wliich he certainly chd 
in an excellent manner, and which you will be glad to learn when 
he will give an account of his negotiation. 

He has thought proper to send you one of his canoes at once 
to inform you hereof, and to assure you that as soon as the Onnon- 
tague deputies shall have arrived here, he will endeavour to des- 
patch them hence at the earliest moment to conduct them to you. 
If not he will leave with the Senecas w^ho are here. Tegannehout 
acted his part very well and harangued strongly against Mr. Don- 
gan's messenger and in favour of Onnontio. Good cheer and the 
w^ay you regaled him was a strengthening medicine which sustained 
his voice when it might perhaps have failed in another who had not 
experienced proofs of your friendship such as you did him the 
honour to give him. He will return with M. le Moine. 

The Cavalier says that before returning to his Master, he wishes 
to speak to the Senecas who are expected here. I caress some- 
what Tegannehout in order that he may win those of his Nation 
over to his opinion and not to suffer them to yield to the solicita- 
tions of Sieur Arnaud to whom the Onnontagues have given two 
wretched belts to say to Mr. Dongan that they could not do other 
than what he himself had urged them to do ; to wit, to settle 
matters peaceably with you, and to soothe his spirit if he were 
dissatisfied with them for not going to Albany whence they had 
returned very recently. A letter is sent you which he has given to 
M. le Moine. 

Whatever Sieur Arnaud may say, we have not neglected to 



138 DE LA BARRE's EXPEDITION 

send for the Oneida deputies whom we expect to-morrow. Mon- 
sieur le Molne will use the greatest possible diligence to return 
to you, inasmuch as this delay is not veiy agreable to him. 
I am always, my Lord, 

Your very humble and very obedient servant, 

J. DE LaMBERVILLE. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

Onontague, 27 Sept. 1G84. 

My Lord, — 1 return here after having been delayed ten days in 
the Lake by very strong head winds. A day before the Iroquois 
deputies met here, the Senecas sent Belts to the Iroquois villages 
to declare to them that shouhl you ilisembark in their country, they 
would attack you. Six or seven Molu gans {Lo^lps) were prepar- 
ino- to go to the assistance of the Iroquois, as the Outaoutes were 
aiding the French. The Seneca scouts have been as far as Kaion- 
houaoue, where you had concluded the peace, to be certain of the 
place at which your army had encamped. The Onnontagu6s be- 
lieved for several days that they had killed me. Tegannehout's 
arrival in tliis country will have calmed the minds in communicat- 
ino- your peace to them. No news have as yet been received from 
the Seneca. Some say they will shortly come hither to confer on 
important matters. If any one come from the For there I shall 
inform you of whatever I will have learned. 

Sieur Arnaud, Mr. Dongan's deputy, has not re-appeared here 
since my departure from Onnonta', though he had assured me that 
he should return in ten days. 'Tis said that his delay is caused by 
not having found his master at Orange (Albany), and that he has 
gone to Manath to inform him of the proceedings of the Onnonta- 
guo and of your arrival at Gainhouagui', [Hungry B''iy-] 

I had the honour of writing to you from the Fort whence I sent 
you a wampum belt from the Tionnontatps. I gave Sieur Hanna- 
taksa the belt of Wampum and the red Calumet in your name, to 
whom I said that you would be ever obliged to him if he would 
turn his arms to the left of Fort St. Louis, where the Illinois are 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 13& 

mingled with the Oumiamis, so as to give no cause of complaint. 

Uncertain as I was regarding matters on the side of the Senecas^ 

and fearful that the Senecas would create confusion on arrivino- here. 

o > 

I made some presents in your name to some captains who could 
best curb their insolence, so as to prevent the brewing of the 
storm. 

Your man of business, I mean La Grande Gueule, is not con 
cerned at any thing; he is a venal being whom you do well to 
keep in pay. I assured him that you would send him the jerkin 
you promised. The Cayu^as who are gone to war to the borders 
of Merinlande and Virginia have sent home some of their warriors 
to say that the English had killed three of their men, and that they 
having taken five Englishmen alive, had cut their throats after sub- 
jecting them to some bad treatment, and that they were still in the 
English country. 

After having spoken to you of others, I must acquit myself of a 
part of my duty, by thanking you very humbly for all the kind- 
nesses you have been pleased to shower on me. I should have 
wished you, in addition to the good health in which it pleased God 
to preserve you in the midst of an army weakened by diseases, 
greater satisfaction for the trouble you have taken for the public 
good. Individuals assuredly know that if you had not accepted 
peace, which is very favorable since no one has been killed on 
either side, the Colony would have been exposed to the mercy of 
the Iroquois who would pounce, in different directions, on defence- 
less settlements, the people of which they would carry off in order 
to pitilessly burn them. I pray God, who knows the sincerity of 
your intentions, to be your reward and to heap His blessings on 
you to the extent of the wishes of him who is entirely, my Lord 
Your very humble and very obedient servant, 

J, DE LaMBERVILLE. 

I told Colin that you woukl remember him and his comrade. 

The Tionnontates have sent to thank the Onnontagu-'s for hav- 
mg, by their obliging disposition, gained you over to treat for peace, 
and thus preserve the lives of many, and that they were attached 
to Onnonthio. Sieur la Grande [Gueule] has pronounced your pane- 
gyric here, and professes to keep the promise he made you, to cause 



140 ' DE LA BAIIRe''s EXPEDITION 

the articles of peace to be observed. Some furs are to be collected 
this fall. He is treating on this subject with Hannagoge and Ga- 
nakonti6. There is no news yet from the Senecas. 



FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. 

Onnontague, this 9th Octob. 16S4. 

My Lord, — The message you sent here by three canoemen from 
Montreal shows you to be in reality a man of your word. Sieur 
Grande Gueule has been informed by express, who is gone to find 
him at his fishery eight leagues from here, that you have written. 
I shall cause him when he returns particularly to recollect his pro- 
mise to you to have satisfaction given you. I have spoken in his 
absence both privately and publicly, to influential persons and ob- 
tained promises from the chiefs and warriors that they would send 
two strings of wampum to the Senecas in three days to put them 
in mind of the word which the leader of those who pillaged the 
French canoes had himself brought here, from those of his own 
nation, that they had accepted all you had concluded at La Famine. 
I told them wliat you had concluded and had ordered me to acquaint 
tliem with. The report about the thousand Illinois is a mere ru- 
mor without any foundation, and M. duLut told me at Katareikoui, 
that he did not believe the truth of this news ; besides there cannot 
be any apprehension that they could have dared to undertake any 
tiling, having met neither Frenclimen nor Outaouas. All that they 
could make a demonstration against have more fuzileers than they. 

A party of 40 warriors will leave here in six days to attack the 
Illinois whom they may find among the Chanuennonni. I have 
presented the Captain a shirt in your name, to exhort the Seucius 
through whom he will pass, to keep their word with you. He has 
assured me that he will not lead his troop towards the quarter you 
forbad him. I notified him as well as the others that you had de- 
spatched a canoe to inform the Oumiamies and the Maskenses that 
you had included them in the peace, and that they could remain 
secure at the place whei-e they had been before they were at war 
with the L'oquois. The Senecas shall be equally notified of this in a 



TO HUXGRY BAY. 141 

few days. You may rest assured, my Lord, that I shall spare no 
pains to have that satisfaction given you vv^hich you expect from the 
troquois. The frenchmen who came here told me that whilst you 
were at La Famine a false alarm reached Montreal that the Iroquois 
were coming ; that there was nothing but horror, flight and weep- 
ing at Montreal. What would so many poor people have done in 
their settlements if merely six hundred Iroquois had made an irrup- 
tion into the country in the condition in which it is. You form a 
better opinion than one hundred manufacturers of rhodomontades 
who were not acquainted with the Iroquois, and who reflect not that 
the country, such as it is, is not in'a condition to defend itself. Had I 
the honor to converse with you longer than your little leisure allowed 
me, I should have convinced you that you could not have advanced 
to Paniaforontogouat [Irondequoit bay] without having been utterly 
defeated in the state your army was in — which was rather an hospi- 
tal than a camp. To attack people within their entrenchments and 
fight banditti in the bush will require one thousand men more than 
you have. Then you can accomplish nothing without having a 
number of disciplined savages. I gave you already my thoughts, 
and believe I told you the truth, and that you deserved the title of 
" Liberator of the Country" by making peace at a conjuncture 
when you would have beheld the ruin of the country without pre- 
venting it. The Senecas had double pallisades stronger than the 
pickets of the fort and the first could not have been forced without 
great loss. Their plan was to keep only 300 men inside, and with 
1200 others perpetually harass you. All the Iroquois were to col- 
lect together and fire only at the legs of your people to master 
them, and burn them at their leisure ; and after haAing cut them 
oif by a hundred ambuscades among the foliage and grass, pursue 
you in your retreat even to Montreal to spread desolation through- 
out its vicinity also ; and they had prepared for that purpose 
a quantity of canoes of eighteen men each which they kept con- 
cealed. But let us all speak of this war to thank God that He has 
preserved our Governor in the midst of so much sickness, and that 
He had compassion on Canada from which He turned away the 
scourge of war which would have laid it entirely desolate. 

The English of Merinlande who had killed three Iroquois, and 



142 DE LA BARRe's EXPEDITION 

of whom the English Iroquois had killed five, are about lo h;.vc 
difRculties with that belligerent nation which has already killed 
more than twenty-nine of their men, and has been threatened 
with war should it continue to insult them. We shall see what 
the English of that quarter will do. 

Garakontie returned to day from Orange, where he told by a 
belt of Wampum how you had given peace to the public ; also 
how Colonel Dongan had urged the Iroquois to secure it by the 
satisfaction which he advised them to give you. M. Dongan left 
Orange when those who brought the Duke of York's Safeguards 
came to this place; it is supposed that Arnaud's visit here to pre- 
vent the Iroquois going to see you and to get them to hold a 
Council at Orange, w;is an intrigue of the Orange merchants who 
feared that their trade would be diminished by a conference held 
with you with arms in your hands ; for M. Dongan had probably 
departed from Orange when Arnaud left to come here. What the 
Iroquois know is, after having heard M. Dongan who exhorted 
them to an arrangement with you, it was in no wise probable 
that on the eve of a negotiation, he should have forbidden them 
to visit you without his permission. 

A man named La Cioix, in Indian Tegaiatannhara, who an- 
swered Garakontie on behalf of the Dutch, said that had you not 
made peace, knowing that the Safeguards of England were on 
the Iroquois, 800 Englishmen and 120U Mohegans, {Loups) who 
are between Mcrinland and New York, entirely distinctfrom the 
Cannongageh-ronnons whom you have with you, were all ready 
to march at the first word to aid the Iroquois. This man La 
Croix passes \vilh the Iroquois for a great liar ; he, possibly may 
have advanced this of his own accord, as well as many other 
things he has stated, which AT. Dongan perhaps would not 
approve, were he acquainted with them. 

I thank you most humbly for having furnished an opportu- 
nity for the transportation to us of a part of our necessaries. It 
is a continuance of your kin(huss towards us and towaids me in 
particular, who am sincerely and with much respect, My Lord, 
Your very humble & very obedient Servant, 

De Lamberville. 



R D 1. 4 B. fr)Q> 



TO HUNGRY BAY. 143 

I shall give La Grande Gueule your jerkin as soon as he re- 
turns here. I had the honor to write to you by Colin ten days 
since. 



FROM THE MINISTER TO M. BARILLON, FRENCH 
AABASSADOR AT LONDON 

[Paris Doc. III.] 

Versailles, 10 March, 1685. 

Sir — The King has learned that the Governor of New York, 
instead of maintaining good correspondence with Sieur de la 
Barre, Governor of Canada, in conformity with the orders of 
the late King of England, has done what he could to prevent the 
Iroquois tieating with him ; that he offered them troops to serve 
against the French, and that he caused standards (flags) to be 
planted in their villages, though these nations had been always 
subject to France since their country was discovered by the 
French, without the English objecting thereto. 

His Majesty desires you to present his complaints to the King 
of England and to demand of him precise orders to oblige this 
Governor to confine himself within the limits of his government, 
and to observe different conduct towards Sieur Denonville, who 
is selected by His Majesty to succeed the said Sieur de la Baire. 



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